Flat sheets of corrugated paperboard, typically referred to as blanks, have been used for many years as the starting material to form containers. Corrugated paperboard generally refers to a multi-layer sheet material comprised of two sheets of liner bonded to a central corrugated layer of medium. Given a basic size requirement specified by the customer, industry standards, and the preference for low cost, paperboard container manufacturers strive to provide structural stacking strength with a minimal amount of corrugated paperboard. A typical well-known container is a single-piece tray design having a bottom wall, two side walls and two end walls each hinged to the bottom wall. Typically, a single piece of corrugated paperboard will be cut and scored to form a flat blank that will then be erected into this container.
In shipping and displaying goods, particularly in a retail setting, it is desirable to have a container which is easy to pack, sturdy and fully enclosed for protection of contents during storage and shipping, and also suitable for display at a retail site. For example, it is beneficial to have a container which allows a customer at a retail site to easily reach into the container and remove products for purchase. In such an application, it is desirable to have a printed area on the container which advertises or identifies the product. During storage and shipment of a container, it is important that a printed area be protected so that it remains attractive to the consumer at the retail location. Of course, the access opening through which a consumer can access the goods must also be closed during shipment and storage to prevent spilling of the product out of the container. One solution that has been proposed involves the use of a separate half slotted container or “dust cover” that is placed over the primary tray or container. This dust cover helps to contain the product and provides protection to the retail package's outer surface, but a separate cover tends to add cost to a packaging system by means of additional material, more material handling, and more material to dispose of at the retail site.
There have been attempts in the past to manufacture a one-piece displayable container using perforated tear out panels, but these approaches have encountered several problems. For example, the perforations in previous attempts at such a design are generally unprotected and located in areas that are highly susceptible to damage during shipping. This susceptibility to damage has led to premature failure of the perforations or has resulted in the use of stronger perforations requiring excessive force or tools to open. Further, a perforated window, in itself, does not provide protection to any outside surfaces of a container, resulting in the potential for unattractive packages at retail sites due to gouges or scuffing from the distribution environment. Other attempts at creating a useful one-piece displayable container have used complex geometric designs requiring special equipment to manufacture, erect, and fill.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a container for the transporting and display of goods which can be easily manufactured on standard manufacturing and erecting equipment, and which further provides for easy alteration for display at retail and for convenient consumer access to the container contents. It is further desirable to allow for the easy removal of container shipment-related markings which have no importance to retail consumers.